One Truth in a Thousand Lies
by Arriene
Summary: As punishment, Loki is sent to Earth with the status of a slave. Stuck in Stark's tower, the god has no choice but to accept his new life, and everything that comes with it; including Tony himself. Being the Silvertongue, Loki lives with lies and to deceive others, but the one truth in his thousand lies changes everything forever. FrostIron later in the story. Rating will change.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This story was inspired by another one here. The author is my inspiration and muse, so I'd like to thank them for writing their wonderful story in the first place. :)**

**On another note, I'm having a lot of fun writing this one. I really hope you guys like it just as much as I do, if not more.**

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Finally, a Friday he can have all to himself. Tony doesn't even remember the last time he didn't have to attend some party or social event, it's been too long. Come to think of it, he doesn't remember having any free time to himself ever since Pepper left. It's true that he had declined some invitations in the past, but the free time he should have had was taken up by paperwork and Start Industries matter.

Flopping onto the living room couch Tony instructs JARVIS to turn on the TV. Even though Tony never has been and never will be interested in watching TV, it serves as a good distraction to all the jumbled thoughts circling inside his head. It's been what, a mere 2 months since Pepper left, and he's already falling apart, his life crumbling to pieces around him. No, that won't do. Tony seriously has to get his life back in order, but first a night of relaxation spent to his content.

Sadly, things never work out in Tony's favor. Not a minute after Tony flopped down on his couch does Thor appear in his living room. But that's not what catches Tony's attention; in fact it's the figure behind everyone's favorite thunder god. There stands Loki, glaring at the back of Thor's head, hands bound by shackles, scowling as if someone just placed a rotten animal in front of him. Tony's mind can think of nothing than _What the hell is that psychopath doing in my living room?_

"I am sorry to interrupt your evening, Man of Iron. I am here to address a very important matter concerning Loki's punishment." Thor steps forward and Loki is suddenly jerked along, his jaw clenched even more tightly than before. With a sudden realization Tony registers the chain attached to Loki's shackles which Thor is holding in his hands.

"And why does that matter concern me?" Tony takes a step towards Thor, but no more: his body refuses to move any closer to the god who had attacked his city merely a year ago. Just thinking of that day makes his skin crawl with unwanted memories.

"Odin has decided on the punishment Loki is to receive," Thor says tensely. Tony's mind is already whirling at all the possibilities. _Finally; this bastard deserves the worst kind of punishment for what he's done. Killing thousands of innocent citizens, all for what? An insane scheme to rule Earth? No, the only punishment that psychopathic asshole deserves is to receive the same treatment he gave others._

"…to you Man of Iron." Tony's mind snaps back to attention as Thor addresses him, and he stares at the god, confused, as he scrambles to recall what Thor said seconds ago. It wasn't his fault for spacing out at the first mention of Loki getting punished. After all, it was about time the god of mischief paid for his crimes.

"Sorry, what? I missed that last part you said." _Along with whatever else you might have mentioned after bringing up Loki finally getting his punishment._

_"_Loki is to be a slave on Midgard as it is the only fair way he can pay for the crimes he's committed against this realm. And he belongs to you now, Man of Iron." At those last words Loki turns his head away from the back of Thor's head and glares at the wall.

Well isn't that just wonderful, and he can honestly say that without a trace of sarcasm. Now the roles are reversed and Loki gets to feel what it's like being enslaved by others, getting your freedom taken away. Not even his divine status was able to save his sorry ass this time. _Good, maybe he can learn a thing or two and think twice next time before trying to dominate the world. _

Suddenly the realization slams into Tony as he grasps the concept of _him _owning _Loki. _No, he surely must have heard that wrong.

"Uh…you're telling me that Loki's punishment consists of him being a slave. _My _slave? What the fuck! That is so wrong on so many levels! I didn't even agree to this shit, I don't want _him."_ Tony spits out the last word as he jabs his finger in the general direction of the god. Sure his life hasn't been perfect the last year, even less so the past two months, but this is just insane. There is no way he's keeping a crazy, world-dominating psychopathic god of mischief in his house, and as his _slave_ at way. In Hell.

"I am sorry you were not notified of this beforehand, but even if you had been, you would not have had a say in the matter. Odin's word is absolute and the punishment will be carried out. However, no matter how unhappy you may be with Odin's decision you may not go against it. Loki is to remain in your custody, and no one is to be notified of his presence here on Midgard."

"You're telling me I don't have the right to say I don't want him? What kind of fucked up logic is that?" Tony runs a hand through his hair and down his face, trying to regain his composure and sanity. "What the hell am I even supposed to _do _with him? With a…a…a freaking slave." Taking a few quick breaths Tony turns back towards Thor no longer caring about the expression he is wearing on his face. "And on top of that, what if he decides to kill me in my sleep? Have you even thought of that, huh?"

"He will do no such thing. Even though his powers still remain, he is unable to use his magic to cause any sort of mischief. And he knows better than to cause chaos in his current position." Thor reassures him, casting a stern look of warning at his brother. Tony dares a quick glance a Loki who is still staring intently at that same spot on the wall. His body looks tense, and his face is still as displeased as it was the last time Tony had looked at him.

How hard it must be to hear this for the second time, with his pride and everything, Tony mused. Loki, a god and a former prince of Asgard, reduced to nothing but a slave of a plain mortal: his pride and dignity must be shattered, if he even has any left after his attack on New York. Which he probably does, considering he was never one to back down and be broken easily. But as the saying goes, there's a first time for everything, right?

By the time Tony finishes yet another circle around his couch, fuming with anger and frustration as well as feeling a twinge of fear somewhere deep inside, Thor is almost finished taking the shackles off Loki. Neither of the gods looked too happy, for their own various reasons of course. After all, Thor is here to hand over his younger brother-whom he loves very much - to Tony Stark as a slave. And Loki's angst is self-explanatory under the circumstances.

Once Thor is finished with the shackles he steps slightly behind his brother and places a hand on his shoulder. Tony can't help but notice the little squeeze Thor gives Loki, as both a reassurance and a warning.

"Be good brother."

Looking up, Thor booms across the room, "Heimdall!" and with a last glance at Tony, the god of thunder vanishes from sight. Tony opens his mouth to ask Thor the million questions that are on his mind but closes it when there is nothing but empty air where the god of thunder had stood moments ago.

_What the hell am I supposed to do now? What if Loki decides to run away or to break every single thing in my house in a fit of rage? There's no way I can stop him if he still has his powers, he's obviously stronger than me. And it's not like I can just tell him to go away…god knows what he'll start planning next. And what if he _does _try to kill me in my sleep? Or even not in my sleep…Thor said he wouldn't try anything like that, but how does he know? If Loki didn't' hesitate to plan world domination, there is nothing stopping him from thinking up more fucked up stuff or revenge on me or plans of my death-_

Abruptly Tony's train of thought comes to a stop and he looks up at the god of mischief standing a few meters away from him. He realizes there's no point in thinking of all these things; none of his questions will be answered and he won't find out the consequences unless he lets things get that way. So his best bet at survival now is to separate himself from the god as much as possible while making sure nothing is destroyed in the process or afterwards.

With a sigh Tony starts walking towards Loki, but stops in his tracks as the god sharply turns to face him. Loki's jaws are clenched tight, his eyes narrowed, and his hands balled up into fists. He shoots Tony a deadly glare and just as suddenly looks away again, his eyes focusing on that same spot on the wall he has been staring at for the whole time.

"Well then. Since you're going to be staying here a while I suppose I should get you a room." Of course Tony had many more things on his mind he would have liked to voice, but thinking back to the glare he received from Loki the inventor decided against it. Even if Loki was now his slave – as unbelievable that idea still was – Tony isn't willing to risk getting hurt or killed for a couple snarky remarks. After all, he has his whole life ahead of him to make fun of the god and degrade him into nothingness, just like he deserves to be.

In Tony's opinion, Loki deserves every kind of punishment he can get, be it verbal or physical. Not that Tony is actually going to inflict pain on the god – that would go against all of his morals – but if someone else was to Tony wouldn't even have second thoughts about the punishment. After everything the god did on Earth and what he put the innocent citizens through… hell, what he put _Tony_ through, there is no room for even the slenderest feeling of mercy.

Running his hand through his hair once more, Tony turns around and heads for the hallway, hoping Loki will follow suit. Luckily the inventor always has a number of guest bedrooms available and ready for use, so it doesn't take him long to pick one for Loki. Maybe it isn't the wisest idea to give the god a bedroom on the same floor as Tony's, but at the same time it seems like the safer option. This way Tony will be able to keep an eye on the god at all times through JARVIS, but also the close distance between them. And if Loki ever does try to destroy anything or plot some scheme Tony will be able to prevent it much easily than if the god had a whole floor to himself. Not that Tony will ever let him wander around anyway, that gives the good way too much opportunity for…well whatever he might have in his head.

Opening the door to the smallest guest room available on this floor, Tony turns towards the god, hoping the silent gesture will come across quite clear: this is your room. After a few seconds of silence the god walks into the room and stops in the middle. The tension in Loki's shoulders is still very noticeable and his hands are still clenched into tight fists. Clearly the god is no more happy with the situation than he was 20 minutes ago, maybe even more displeased.

The room Tony decided to provide Loki with is still quite big in size compared to most. This _is _Stark Tower after all. It's not very heavily furnished: a bed in one corner opposite the window, a nightstand right beside it. An average sized dresser stands on the opposite side of the room with a desk not too far away. The other wall is left blank, except for a big window displaying the full view of the city. Thank god the glass is unbreakable; otherwise Tony would just have one extra thing to worry about, like Loki jumping out in an attempt to escape.

After a few moments of staring at Loki Tony clears his throat. Clearly the god isn't intending to move anywhere so Tony decides to wrap this whole thing up. It's getting late, and he's completely an utterly drained. There goes his perfect fantasy of a Friday night spent alone doing whatever he pleases. The unwanted visit from the god of thunder now leaves the inventor with a rather unhappy god of mischief, who only a year ago tried to conquer this very planet.

"Don't leave until I say you can. I don't want you roaming around my house spreading germs. Or getting any more world-dominating ideas." With a last glance Tony closes the door behind him and heads for his own room.

"JARVIS. Make sure the door and window are locked and keep a watch on him. And if he tries anything, let me know right away."

"Yes sir." JARVIS' automatic, yet always friendly and helpful voice sounds from somewhere above Tony's head. At least he always has his AI to rely on; that's one thing that will never change. The thought brings a sense of comfort to Tony, no matter how small. Maybe his whole life isn't completely in ruins and shattered like he thought. Sure, things aren't at their best right now - Hell, they're probably at their worst with Loki's arrival and all – but that small reassurance of JARVIS lightens Tony's mood just a tad.

Not bothering taking off his clothes, Tony collapses onto the bed. His mind is already drifting into sleep, his eyes closing. Finally he can relax. Maybe if he sleeps long enough the whole Loki-turned-slave incident will disappear and it will all just be a bad dream Tony had, a fading fragment of his imagination.

Suddenly there is a loud bang followed by quieter ones, and Tony's eyes shoot open. JARVIS is already informing Tony of what's happening and the inventor is up on his feet, running towards Loki's room.

_Fuck._

There goes his last hope - a peaceful night's sleep.

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**Author's Note: Cliffhanger :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, I've gotten quite a few favs, follows and reviews. Honestly, I wasn't expecting this much interest in this story from the very start, so I'm really happy. Thank you everyone, you really boosted my confidence and will to write :)**

**As some of you have commented as guests, I will always reply to those reviews in here. Yep, I'm evil as well, humiliation is definitely part of my plan :3 As for Tony not physically doing anything to Loki...it's only been the first chapter, and now the second. Don't make such rash conclusions.**

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Bursting into the room Tony's eyes land on the figure standing a few meters away from him. Well, standing being an understatement. Loki is in full motion, grabbing at anything and everything within reach and hurtling the unfortunate objects across the room. In his fit of blind rage the god hasn't noticed Tony enter – or rather run into – his room. The place is a disaster, resembling anything but a room. All the furniture broken, its pieces strewn across the room with more joining every second.

"What the _hell _are you doing?!"

Startled, Loki whirls around, eyes narrowed, jaws clenched, panting heavily. Tony immediately notices the malicious glint in the god's eyes, that same one he had while attacking New York. Making a split second decision, Tony raises his hand and shoots a repulsor beam right at Loki. Usually Tony isn't the one to resort to violence first, but the current circumstances are a special case. In this situation it's better to take precautions than rely on luck and hope the god won't either throw something at his head or leap at him. Not that Loki could do much damage to Tony in his suit.

As JARVIS informed Tony of what was happening, the inventor called one of his suits, once again being tremendously grateful for having the bracelets clasped around his wrists. Ever since the attack on New York and his most unwanted plunge to near-death out the window, the inventor always wears the bracelets now. There was of course a very slight chance of him ever needing his suit immediately, but having that reassurance made him feel better. And what do you know; here he's taking full advantage of that opportunity.

The blast hits Loki right in the middle of the chest and he's flung back from the sudden impact. Clearly not expecting the assault Loki is stunned and just stands there, slumped against the wall. Then suddenly Tony is right in front, pinning the god in place, restricting any movement.

Had Loki been in his right mind and had his senses fully alert, he would have been able to stop Tony. Now, however, the god is helpless, stuck between Tony and the wall, unable to move or push the human off. If Loki was Asgard, he would never have tolerated such behavior. But he is no longer there, or even a prince – just a slave of a stupid mortal and possibly his greatest enemy at that.

"Are you done? Are you satisfied with what you did now?" Tony's voice comes out as growl, deep and very, very displeased. "Because this is still your room and this is how you'll be living from now on." Jerking forward slightly the inventor has the god pressed even harder into the wall, practically grinding Loki into the cement structure. It hurts Loki to breathe; after all, Tony is much stronger than him now with his Iron Man suit on.

"I thought it was perfectly clear that you can't destroy any of my things. Even though I've never had one, I'm pretty sure _slaves _aren't supposed to be touching their masters' things." A number of emotions flash on the god's face: anger, loathing, disgust and even a hint of...regret, but he settles on curling his lip and giving Tony a piercing glare. No matter how slight that hint of regret was, Tony was sure he saw it, noting to himself to confront the god about it later.

"Oh, I'm sorry princess. I didn't realize you don't like to be reminded of your position as a slave. _My _slave to be exact. And even if I have no idea what to do with you yet, I sure as hell will think of something. Now be a good little slave and stay still." Loki's glare turns into an icy stare, but Tony couldn't be less bothered. He can glare all he wants, he's still the investor's slave and under his command.

Grabbing Loki's wrists, Tony binds them together with rope. Sure, it isn't the best restriction he can use, but it's the only one currently at his disposal (his suit practically has everything hidden somewhere inside). Loki doesn't object, knows he can't. No matter how much his pride may be screaming at him to lash out and stop the assault, the god stays put. Satisfied with his knots and his work, Tony takes a few steps back to observe.

"Now you will stay in here and this time _not _destroy anything…not that there's anything left to destroy. No matter how much you may loathe your punishment, you're still subjected to it and you will behave yourself accordingly. Are we clear?"

After a moment of silence comes Loki's reply, "I will _never _listen to you," words dripping with venom and disgust.

"You already have. You just haven't realized it yet." Tony shoots back, referring to moments ago when the god didn't object his wrists being bound. Unfortunately Tony doesn't know Loki's reason and simply assumes the god has given up. Supposedly the god has in a way, but it wasn't willingly; his punishment forbids him from making any move against his master.

"You will never make me listen, _mortal._"

"Watch me."

With that Tony briskly turns around and leaves the room, making sure to bang the door behind him.

_Watch me, princess. _

It's not until the next evening that Tony even considers letting Loki finally leave his room. For the whole day Tony kept his eye on the god, constantly asking JARVIS what was happening. At some point JARVIS even offered to inform Tony on a 2 minute interval about Loki's actions so the inventor could focus on his task uninterrupted.

Sometime around dinner Tony finally wanders up to the top floor, having spent the whole day in his workshop. Whenever he felt stressed he always went down there. Even just fiddling with gadgets helped him calm down and clear his head, which was what he spent doing most of the day. After last night's incident Tony really was beginning to feel lost and insecure about his own safety. Sure the god hasn't attacked him yet, but who was to say he wouldn't in the future. It's true Thor reassured Tony that no such thing would happen, but really, how does he know?

Debating on wearing his suit, Tony disregards the idea and walks up to the door of Loki's room. Tony would gladly avoid any interaction with the god if at all possible, but one: he has to feed the god, and two: he really needs to have a proper conversation with him.

"JARVIS, what's he doing?" Stopping just shy of the door Tony leans on the wall and waits for the reply.

"Loki is currently sitting on his bed, sir."

After all the damage Loki did to the room, Tony's surprised that the bed managed to stay in one piece. Maybe Loki subconsciously knew he needed the bed to sleep on, or maybe it was too big to bother with.

With a quiet sigh he pushes the handle down and opens the door. Indeed Loki is sitting on his bed leaning against the wall for support, looking at nothing. Not bothering to react to Tony Loki continues staring at nothing, waiting for whatever Tony is here for. Although the god made no move to acknowledge Tony's presence, he knows that Loki is aware of him, having seen the god's shoulders tense.

"It's dinner time. Come."

Once at the table, Loki chooses the farthest spot from Tony and sits down. The table is already set, takeout boxes neatly placed in the center. Tony, of course, doesn't cook and DUM-E isn't advanced enough to prepare food, so the inventor usually eats whatever he orders. When Pepper was still here she would often cook the most splendid dinners. But she's no longer here and so Tony has to resort to his next best option: takeout food. After a few minutes of awkward and uncomfortable silence Tony opens his mouth, not knowing what will come out, but needing to say something.

"So. Why did you decide to destroy your room not even half an hour after you came here? Was it really that hard to guess that you're not supposed to be breaking my shit? Or did you just want to act like a rebellious teenager who thinks they're above everyone else? Because, shall I remind you, you're not. In fact, you're lower than everyone else, reduced to nothing but a mere slave." Pausing mixing his food Tony looks across the table at Loki, expecting a reply. What he gets, instead, is a shallow stare and eyes full of fury.

"I shall inform you that I will not be subjected to such low treatment, as that of a slave. I may not have my…my status anymore, but I am still a god and superior to you. You mortals think you're smart and clever, when in fact you're nothing but parasites."

"You're treading very dangerous waters here. You have no choice in this matter. You're a slave and you will remain one until you die. And you will sure as hell learn how to treat me properly. I won't tolerate any bullshit from you. 'I'm a god' my ass. I don't give a shit about what or who you are, except that you're a slave. _My _slave, and you will live by _my _rules." Sometime during his speech Tony got out of his seat, as he found himself standing right beside Loki, towering over the god and emphasizing what he just said: he was the master, and Loki the slave. Getting up slowly Loki turns to face Tony.

"Indeed? Because during our last encounter I remember you expressing great concern in whom I was and what I was capable of doing. Especially when I took over your precious little tower. Yes, back then you were _very _concerned about my plans and about my intentions. Yet now, Tony Stark, you act as if you have not a care in the world about what goes on in my head and what I do or am capable of doing. You think just because Thor told you I will not harm you, you will be safe. I beg to differ; I am after all the god of chaos and mischief. To me you are simply a Midgardian who is unable to protect himself without a big piece of metal covering every part of his body. I must admit you were clever during my attack on Midgard, but after all I still managed to cause chaos in this realm. And there is absolutely nothing stopping me from doing it all over again. A mere "status" can't hold me back, even you must realize that. Or maybe that's why your Lady left you, because you are so naïve. You believe what you want to believe and only see that which will benefit you in some way, or cause you less hardship. Even she is human; a person can only put up with so much stupidity and naiveté. I must say she is a smart one, refusing to up with your ludicrous whims and-"

_Slap._

"Don't _ever _talk about Pepper that way, you – "

"Denying the truth is not going to make your life easier. _You_ should realize this of all people. My, you are even more senseless than I thought. That Lady of yours was lucky to have realized her mistakes early enough." Loki scoffs, ignoring the half-threat Tony implied seconds ago.

"DON'T TALK ABOUT HER THAT WAY!" Loki's eyes widen slightly as he leans back, clearly not expecting the sudden outburst from the usually composed inventor. "Don't…don't ever mention Pepper. She's…" Tony rakes a hand through his hair, turning away from the god. "Son of a bitch. Getting me all worked up, no I shouldn't be acting like this." Tony mutters under his breath as he paces back and forth, trying to calm down. Turning to face Loki once again, he tries to make his face as emotionless as possible, not quite succeeding.

"Alright, room, now. Let's go," the command coming out slightly suggestive and Tony winces. It's not that he meant to say it in that tone, but with the current situation some stress relief would be nice. And dear god no, he wasn't thinking of Loki. His body was just so accustomed to taking all his stress to the bedroom and getting rid of it through sex.

Tony knows that Loki hit a soft spot. Even though it's been two months since Pepper left, the pain is still raw. Usually the inventor would sulk in his workshop until the pain diminished into a dull ache somewhere deep inside, but this time Loki fed his sadness and anger, making Tony lose control. He knows a night of sadness, loneliness and crying awaits him, the reality finally having caught up with him and dumped its bucket of water on him. Only it's not a bucket, but more like an ocean in which Tony is flailing helplessly, barely able to stay above the surface.

Wordlessly Tony waits as Loki walks past him, emotionless, into his room and sits on the bed. Without a word Tony slams the door and walks away. Damn, he could really kill for a drink right now.

Walking back to the kitchen he ignores all the takeout boxes on the table, the sight of them making his stomach churn. Instead, he picks out 3 of the best and strongest alcoholic drinks from his collection and retreats to his bedroom.

Once Loki no longer hears Tony's retreating footsteps he climbs under the covers, turning to face the wall. The god's mind is continuously replaying the scene in the kitchen and from the night before.

It's true that Loki meant what he said – about not being subjected to such low treatment of a slave. Yes, that was the punishment he received in Asgard at his trial, but surely it was a mere "status". There is no way Odin can monitor and make sure Loki is obeying his master like a good, loyal dog. Tony has no way of reaching anyone in Asgard, and Loki is almost 100% sure that Thor won't be visiting for quite a while. As long as he doesn't raise his hand against Tony or tries to escape he won't be violating the rules of his punishment.

As the minutes tick by, Loki's mind wanders back and forth between memories. At one point he remembers the battle in New York. As he relives those days in his mind, he can't help but realize that he doesn't quite remember why he decided to attack Midgard in the first place. He knows The Other was somehow involved, remembers making some sort of deal with him, although the actual reason for his attack never reveals itself. Loki desperately rakes his brain for explanations, but his mind comes up blank.

After hours of drifting in and out of consciousness between his memories, he turns onto his back. His wrists are aching from being bent at an awkward angle for so long, and as he lifts his arms up the god realizes his hands are still bound by the rope. He remembers that Tony never got around to untying his hands during dinner, since they never got to the eating part anyway.

Examining his binds once more Loki tries to untie them, but fails at all attempts. Sighing, he decides to put the task off until tomorrow, unwilling to admit to himself that he has in fact given up on trying. A strange though floats by in Loki's mind as he is finally drifting off to sleep.

_We are not so different in the end, you and I…_

That night Loki dreams of being tortured and humiliated over and over, his mind acknowledging that he will never be able to escape his punishment.

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**A/N: I love you Loki, I'm sorry. I apologize if the chapters are too long, tell me if you'd like them shorter.**

**Once again thank you to everyone who is reading/following and reviewing this story. Your support is really helpful and I'm emensly grateful to you all. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for the longer wait, didn't have time to edit this chapter. Hope you guys are happy with it, it's rather long so that should make up for it.**

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"…late."

_Ugh…what…_

"Sir, if you don't wake up now, you're going to be late for your meeting."

Groaning, Tony rolls over in his bed willing the dizziness to go away. Considering he hasn't woken up on his own, it must be rather early in the morning and with the pounding headache Tony has no desire to open his eyes, let alone get up.

"Sir, you really need to get up. The meeting is starting in an hour."

_Shit._

Literally jumping out of bed, the inventor makes a dash for the shower praying that the water will make him feel better. Of course, Tony has a very important meeting to attend about his company. Usually Pepper would attend such meetings, as Tony could never be bothered enough, but this time the matter at hand was relevant directly to him.

Although Pepper had left him, she is still the CEO of Stark Industries and takes care of the important things. Tony is only good at inventing gadgets and suits, and not in a million years would he be able to run a company on his own. After their separation, Pepper agreed to continue taking care of the company and help Tony out as much as she could, but on one condition only – that they would never discuss any matters face to face.

Pepper made it clear she wanted nothing to do with Tony beyond a professional level, and she knew that if the inventor had to see her, even if once in a while, he would fall apart and never again be put back together. So she came up with something that worked perfectly for both of them. Or at least as perfectly as things could be under the circumstances.

After ten minutes of standing under burning hot water Tony reluctantly turns around and shuts the water off. His headache subdued a little, though there is still a slight pounding in his head. Drying himself off, he rummages through his closet trying to find a suit ready for wear. Luckily he always keeps at least two ready, in case of situations like this.

Tony isn't big on breakfast, but he knows if he eats something it'll help his head a little. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to not be hungry for his meeting so he can pay attention to the people talking and not his growling stomach. Grabbing a folded piece of paper off the dresser, Tony makes his way to the kitchen. It's not like he has to cook a big meal for a bunch of guests anyway, he can grab a quick bite.

_Guests…Oh shit._

"Son of a… JARVIS, would you call Loki for me. Tell him not to waste any time."

Taking out a box of waffles from the freezer, he takes out 4 and jams them in the toaster. Not having enough time to defrost them, Tony figures he can make the temperature higher and melt them as well as cook them in one go. While the waffles are...melting, Tony makes himself a cup of coffee. As he's finished setting the plate of waffles and whipped cream on the table, there's a shuffle of feet and a quiet thud as Loki sits down at the table.

"Waffles. Whipped cream." Tony says slightly waving his cup in the direction of the food, "and there's the coffee. Help yourself."

Loki glances at the plate and bowl – one piled with waffles, the other with cream – then looks at Tony. The god obviously has no idea what to do with either, but he slowly extends his hand and cautiously takes the waffle.

It takes Tony a few seconds, but he realizes that Loki must have no idea what to do. He's pretty sure there's some equivalent of waffles in Asgard, but maybe they don't have the cream or everything looks different. Or at least if they did, maybe waffles weren't exactly considered royalty food. With an amused smile Tony reaches out for the bowl of cream and smears some of it on the waffles. The god glances once more at Tony, but takes the plate and slowly begins eating.

"Alright, I got a meeting to attend today, so you're going to be in the house alone for a little while. Don't bother doing anything stupid, I'll be watching you the whole time, and JARVIS will notify me right away if something's wrong." Taking a sip of his coffee Tony eyes the god, expecting a reply. When Loki doesn't offer one, he continues. "Now, there's a couple of rules you'll need to follow and if you don't…well let's hope you're not curious enough to find out what will happen."

Taking out the piece of paper Tony grabbed from his dresser, he unfolds it. Last night when he was getting drunk in a pitiful effort to make himself feel better he had a sudden urge to write down a list of rules for Loki. Although Tony was pretty certain the god wouldn't do anything too reckless, the idea of rules still appealed to him.

"Rule number 1: don't touch my stuff unless I tell you to. That one's pretty self-explanatory. Rule number 2: don't destroy anything. I'm pretty sure you're smart enough to realize that. At least I hope you are." Taking another sip of his coffee, Tony glances at the list to read the next few rules.

"Rule number 3: don't leave the floor you're on. Rule number 4: don't leave your room unless I say so. I don't want you lurking around touching any of my stuff. In fact, I'd much rather not see you at all and I think both of us would feel safer if you didn't annoy me. Rule number 5: don't hand me things...don't ask," Tony ads as an afterthought, not in the mood to explain that he simply hates it when people try to give him_ anything._

"Rule number 6: don't throw me out any windows." A small snort escapes Loki and he lifts his head up for the first time to look at Tony since the inventor began reading the rules. "I'm serious, after that stunt you pulled I really don't have the best of relationships with windows. Moving on. Rule number 7: Don't engage in lewd and..." Tony's voice trails off as he mentally reads the rest of the sentence.

_7. Don't engage in lewd and lascivious behavior with DUM-E._

_Oh god, what the fuck. What was I thinking last night? Jesus fucking Christ. _

Clearing his throat, Tony tries his best to compose himself and his mind. "Yep that's it. Six rules for you to follow, which should be easy enough. And don't hesitate to check in with your common sense, although I doubt yours will help much."

"Sir, the meeting will begin in half an hour. You really should get going."

"Right, thanks JARVIS." Sighing Tony gets up and places his now empty cup in the sink. So much for breakfast. With having to give Loki the rundown of the rules, Tony didn't even have time to eat anything. Making his way to the elevator he suddenly halts and turns around to face Loki.

"Oh, almost forgot, got a little task to occupy you with. Since you're going to be living here for a long time and all, might as well make yourself useful." Picking his words carefully (more or less), Tony chose to avoid the word _slave. _Even if that's technically what Loki is, Tony doesn't like the whole idea of owning a slave, and especially acknowledging the god as such.

"There's a bunch of clothes in my closet that need folding. I figured you'd do a better job than DUM-E. When you're done eating ask JARVIS how to get to my room." Seeming satisfied with his instructions, Tony turns back around and closes the distance between himself and the elevator. "See you in a few hours." And with a wave of his hand Tony disappears behind the elevator doors.

Finishing his cereal, Loki places the bowl in the sink, only because he full well knows that there isn't a slave to do it for him. After looking around the kitchen and stalling some time, Loki decides to at least see what the task at hand is. Of course he knows about folding clothes, but he's never done the chore himself, and to be honest he was a little curious to see Tony's room and closet.

"JARIVS? Where's…the room with the clothes?"

Getting thorough directions from the AI Loki quickly makes his way to Tony's room – stopping about 10 times along the way to examine a painting or sculpture or bookshelf. As the god opens the door a wide open space welcomes him, with little furniture except for a very large bed, a bedside table and a TV hanging off the wall.

For a billionaire, Tony's room was rather plain and empty, definitely not what the God expected. Then again, what _was _Loki expecting? Nothing. It's not like he spends his time wondering what the inside of Tony's bedroom looks like.

Loki makes his way across the room, toward the double doors behind which Tony's clothes are kept. The closet is big, having multiple compartments, shelves, and drawers to fit all of Tony's belongings. At one end of the room there's a pile of clothes carelessly dumped there, clearly to be taken care of by Loki.

The god however, makes no move to approach the pile and begin his tedious task of folding the many shirts and pants which all look the same to him anyway. Instead, Loki approaches the endless row of shirts hanging, running his fingers along the material, occasionally stopping to examine one that catches his eye.

After a few minutes, Loki gets bored and leaves the room, not bothering to close the doors behind him. If Tony wants his clothes folded or his laundry done, he can hire a maid. Loki certainly wouldn't be lowering himself to such a level, tending to a Midgardian's whims.

Tony practically drags himself out of the elevator, completely drained of energy and desperate for a drink. The meeting took forever, and it was seriously the most boring thing the inventor ever had to attend in his life. At least the parties provided some entertainment, like the hot chicks in their mini dresses or drunk people embarrassing themselves. Grabbing the first bottle he lays eyes on, Tony gulps the liquid straight from the bottle, not even bothering to get a glass.

Immediately he feels the slight burn in his throat, his muscles relaxing, all tension leaving his body. What would Tony do without his best buddy alcohol? Maybe relying on it so much isn't the greatest idea, but with Pepper gone and no one there to support him or help him out, it's the next best thing.

Finishing the first bottle of god knows what, Tony automatically reaches for a second bottle, now taking his time to pick out what he wants. After a few gulps he sets the bottle down on the counter, providing himself with enough time to slip off his suit jacket before going for the bottle again.

As much as he would have liked to go down and work in his workshop, Tony's too tired to even move, so he opts for the next option in line and heads for the bedroom. Turning away from the row of bottles, another one in hand, the inventor makes his way across the living room, stopping before rounding a corner, something having caught his eye. Lazily turning around, Tony's eyes find a huddled shape sitting by the window, which his brain eventually identifies as Loki.

_Right…that bastard didn't do shit today. Just walked around my house like he owned the place. Fucking asshole. _

Walking – or more like staggering – up to the god, Tony waits a few seconds before clearing his throat. Loki, having been deep in thought and not noticing Tony jumps a little as he turns around. Tony can see the body opposite him tense up as his eyes lock on Loki's.

"How was your little unauthorized tour today? Did you forget you had a very simple task to do?"

"I believe I already _told_ you before; I will not listen to you. I'm a _god, _and you're nothing but a puny mortal. Following orders from you is the last thing on my list." Loki spits back his reply, glaring at Tony. Yes, he was treading dangerous ground here, but the god of mischief can't just stand by as he's insulted by a mere human. Even though Loki may not be a free man anymore, he will not admit to his fate without a fight.

"Watch your language. You're not exactly in the position to be addressing me like that, _princess." _A look of utter rage passes Loki's face, making the god stiffen even more at the demeaning nickname, eyes narrowing.

"Don't ever call me that." Loki spits in Tony's face, his body trembling in anger, using every ounce of strength to not lash out at the man in front of him.

"Well, aren't we a little sassy today. Maybe I should teach you a lesson." Loki doesn't even have time to react as Tony advances, fist raised. The punch hits Loki square in the jaw, and the god sways a little as he's slightly thrown off balance. Automatically, Loki's arms rise up to attack, the god barely stopping himself from hitting Tony at the last second. The inventor, feeling provoked further, lashes out again, this time hitting Loki in the shoulder and making him stumble backwards. This time however, Tony doesn't stop. He continues advancing on Loki, hitting him over and over again, in the chest, shoulders, face.

With each blow Loki takes a step back, until his back is pressed flat against the window with no room to retreat. Loki holds his breath as he waits for the next punch, which doesn't come. Instead, two hands smack on the window right beside his head, blocking any escape routes. Tony leans in, his face inches from the god's, and Loki can smell the alcohol on Tony's breath.

"Have you had enough? Did you learn your lesson, or should I go into more detail?" Tony glares into Loki's eyes, brown ones meeting emerald green ones.

Loki keeps silent, his body already aching from the few - but very strong – punches.

"Now you listen here, Horny. When I tell you to do something, you go and you fucking do it. I don't give a shit about who you are or what you are or your status for that matter. You're staying in _my _tower, so you will make yourself fucking useful and do the shit I tell you to do. And if you don't, then your little punishment is going to make you regret your stupid ass decisions about not listening to me." Out of blind rage and the alcohol's effect on his brain, Tony rams his knee hard into Loki's crotch, using all the strength he can. The god doubles over in pain, a cry escaping his mouth, slumping over Tony's shoulder.

Tony takes a step back and Loki's body drops to the floor, curling up into a tight ball at his feet. Seeming not satisfied enough, Tony kicks the crumpled figure a few more times, stopping when the god is barely breathing and moaning in pain on the floor. Throwing Loki a quick glance Tony turns around and heads for his bedroom, glad to finally be able to sleep.

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**A/N: Some of you may be confused as to why Tony is behaving so violently, but that will be explained in the not-so-near future...But if you really want to know, feel free to PM me :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is kind of a continuation of the last chapter, but from Loki's point of view. It's rather short, so I apologize, but there wasn't much else I could think to write in this chapter. I didn't want to mix the next one into this one. On a side note, this is exactly 1100 words, which is pretty cool. Anyway, enjoy!**

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_Loki keeps silent, his body already aching from the few - but very strong – punches._

_"Now you listen here, Horny. When I tell you to do something, you go and you fucking do it. I don't give a shit about who you are or what you are or your status for that matter. You're staying in my tower, so you will make yourself fucking useful and do the shit I tell you to do. And if you don't, then your little punishment is going to make you regret your stupid ass decisions about not listening to me." Out of blind rage and the alcohol's effect on his brain, Tony rams his knee hard into Loki's crotch, using all the strength he can. The god doubles over in pain, a cry escaping his mouth, slumping over Tony's shoulder._

Suddenly Loki feels an excruciating pain in his groin and he doubles over in pain, a cry escaping his mouth before he can stop it. He's used to taking pain and keeping quiet, whether it be a battle injury, or torture. He's been a victim of both far too many times to be sensitive to pain. And after the first few times, Loki learned to keep his mouth shut for as long as possible, when possible. Showing pain is a major sign of weakness, but also humiliation. Yet when that pain comes unexpectedly and in a place so vulnerable and unprotected, his mind is unable to keep control of his actions. The cry escapes his mouth with Loki realizing it when it's too late to stop it.

His vision blacks for a few seconds, thought and feeling momentarily abandoning Loki's body. As he comes back into function and realization, he feels his body dropping into nothingness until it hits the floor. The sudden impact causes a new wave of pain to sweep over his body, and Loki lays there helplessly on the floor, curled up at Tony's feet.

Through the haze of the pain Loki feels a foot connect with his ribs. The assault doesn't stop, as much as he wills it to, and silently begs for the pain to stop increasing. But the foot makes contact with his ribs once again, and the next hit comes to his stomach as Tony kicks at the pathetic figure in front of him. Just as Loki is on the brink of losing consciousness, his breaths coming out shallow and quick, the abuse suddenly stops.

And so he lies there, curled up on the floor, a pathetic beat up heap. Minutes pass and Loki dares not move a muscle, but simply waits for his labored breathing to return to normal and the pain to subdue. He tries to make sense of the situation and the events which had just occurred, though his mind doesn't want to cooperate and he gets a headache on top of all his other problems.

It just doesn't make sense. Tony's behavior and actions just don't make sense. The very first day Loki came here, Tony seemed annoyed, but still treated the god humanely. It's true that Loki had been slapped by the inventor before, but it was only one slap for intruding in Tony's personal life and mentioning Pepper. Besides that incident Tony has been mainly ignorant of the whole situation and hadn't paid much attention to Loki.

The worst which happened to Loki was getting locked up in his room and being left without food for a day or so. But today…today was completely different. Tony lashed out at the god, practically beating him to a pulp. No matter how Loki looked at it, it just didn't make sense.

Then again, it _could_ make sense if he thought about things differently. After all, he _did _trash his room, which is actually Stark's. To be honest, Loki shouldn't have gotten a room; slaves in Asgard are never provided with sleeping quarters, let alone such nice ones as Tony gave him. But at the same time, one action like that shouldn't have changed Tony's behavior so much.

_Unless…The alcohol_. _Of course, that is what triggered his violent response._

As this idea unfolds itself in Loki's mind, the god can feel a little flame of fear ignite somewhere deep down inside. He isn't stupid; he knows how much Tony likes to drink and how often he does it. If Loki managed to remember one thing about Tony from his last trip to Midgard, it's that the inventor loves his alcohol. Pushing the thought and the fear away, Loki buries the two deep down, refusing to believe what he already knows. It's impossible for him to not refuse the commands and chores Tony gives him, but he knows that when Tony will return, drunk, Loki won't be having the most pleasant of times.

As time passes by and Loki lies on the floor, he can't help but come back to that thought again. If this is what Tony is like every time he drinks, then Loki won't be able to handle the beatings for long. His body can only regenerate so fast, and considering how often Tony will probably beat him, there just won't be enough time for Loki to get his full strength back.

Reluctantly, he agrees with himself to try and follow Tony's instructions. At least the most basic of them. Of course the god won't do anything too degrading or humiliating, but if he can avoid being beaten to near death, he would rather complete a stupid task. If following Tony's ludicrous orders is all it will take to spare Loki from the almost unbearable pain, maybe - just maybe - they're actually worth following.

Feeling the pain in his body increase Loki lets out a low groan which turns into an angry growl. He always hates this part of his healing process the most: the pain become greater than what was originally inflicted as the tissues in his body try to restore themselves to their original, healthy and undamaged form. Surprisingly the beating from Tony affected his body more than Loki thought possible, considering Tony was merely a Midgardian with strength barely comparable to that of a god. He knew his recovery would take a while, and would be a painful one. Giving in to the sleepy feeling, Loki loses consciousness in the middle of Tony's living room, still curled up, promising himself to move to his bedroom later, when he's able to open his eyes without wincing.

Occasionally a quiet moan or groan would escape the god's lips, his sleep filled with dreadful nightmares of torture, humiliation and degradation.

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**A/N: Loki angst and hurt and pain. I'm sorry for being such a sadist. But the story's moving along, Loki's thinking about things and starting to develop his conclusions and theories. **

**Reviews are welcome and much appreciated, as well as feedback. And if you guys have any ideas/requests you'd like to see in the future, feel free to leave them in the reviews or PM me. I'm always open to ideas and appreciate any inspiration I can get. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I'm back with a brand new chapter! Full of Loki, and his adorable attitude. The story is finally moving forward, and things will keep happening, so follow the story and don't miss Tony and Loki's adventure. **

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A new week always means a lot of work and many more boring meetings. Tony is trying to expand his business, get the arc reactor into other countries. It's a very efficient and environmentally safe energy provider meaning the world can become a better place, and Tony can of course get even more money. This of course means a lot of meetings and negotiations and promotional speeches. All of which he hates. Well, maybe not the promotional speeches – he gets to talk about his company and how great it is. And the cameras, all the attention.

On top of that, he has to keep up with his Avengers duties. Though SHIELD rarely calls Tony, sometimes he'd have to spend a day or two flying around the world trying to stop idiotic "criminals" who could barely formulate their plans, let alone provide a threat to the world. Honestly, sometimes he wondered if Fury was just making fun of him and the others. That one-eyed asshole.

Monday was the worst though, as all the work which piled on from the weekend had to be sorted. Working during the weekend wasn't his most favourite thing in the world – in fact, it was his least favourite. And being Tony, he always left everything till Monday, meaning the workload increased about 100%. He tried to avoid as many meetings, negotiations and speeches as possible, but some were just unavoidable. Like the meeting he had today.

Besides all those problems there's the Norse god who's living with him. Tony hates leaving Loki alone, even if JARVIS is constantly supervising him and giving Tony live feeds. So far giving Loki a stupid chore seemed like the best option to keep the god occupied and away from trouble, though folding clothes proved to be a task a tad too difficult for the god to handle.

Tony gets JARVIS to call Loki to breakfast, already making coffee for himself and putting the waffles in the toaster for Loki. Getting the cream out, he takes a bowl and empties half of the can into it and puts it in the middle of the table, fork and knife following. He himself doesn't really feel like eating since he's completely stressed out over the upcoming meetings.

_Great, and they haven't even started yet. Fucking hate this company shit. _

As the coffee machine beeps, Tony pours himself a cup of coffee and leans against the counter, facing the living room. The inventor can't help but notice how empty the table looks: one bowl, a knife and a fork. For the great Tony Stark that looks really pitiful, but it's not like he ever ate at home, so his pantries were all empty. Loki was lucky that he even had something to eat. Maybe he should buy some more food, just so Loki doesn't starve. Though Tony is sure gods can last a while without it – after all, Loki hadn't eaten anything on the Hellicarrier when he was being held by SHIELD. Maybe he didn't even have to eat at all, which would definitely save Tony a lot of trouble.

_I should test that theory out someday…Starve the poor bastard until he worships me and doesn't give me any of his shit. Now there's an image. _

A few minutes later Loki walks into the room and sits in the exact same spot as yesterday, just as Tony places the plate of waffles in front of him. Not bothering to wait for an invite to start eating, Loki takes the cream and smears it all over the top waffle. Tony watches the god in amusement, wishing he had the same appetite.

_Though I suppose if I was left without dinner I would be just as hungry. Well, not that I ate last night but…Fuck why does it matter. _

"I've got a few meetings to attend today, so you're going to be here alone again." Loki pauses eating and looks up at Tony, waiting for him to continue. "Don't bother trying anything stupid, I'll still be watching you and JARVIS is always ready to act as well. And to keep you busy, I've left a little something for you to do. The clothes you didn't fold yesterday, yeah, you're doing that today. And if I were you I would do what I tell you, because I'm really sure you don't want to find out what will happen if you don't." Tony pauses, waiting for a reaction, a nod, an acknowledgement, something. But Loki remains silent and still as a statue, staring back at Tony.

Clearing his throat, Tony puts the now empty cup into the sink and turns to walk to the elevator. "Have fun. Oh and if you get hungry, get JARVIS to order you something."

Having finished eating, Loki sits at the table looking at nothing and contemplating his options. Clearly no part of him wants to fold clothes – or do any sort of work for that matter – but he figures his choices are few and limited in this situation. Reluctantly getting up, he heads in the direction of Tony's bedroom, once again stopping by everything on his way there in a last attempt to stall some time.

Tony did say he was going to be busy today, or he had at least implied that, but Loki didn't actually know when the inventor would be coming home. There really was no point in putting off the work, if Tony came home before Loki was finished he really wouldn't be having the best evening. Walking around the closet a couple times, Loki settles down on the floor in the middle of the room, a pile of washed clothes in front of him.

Having never folded clothes himself, Loki has no idea where to start what-so-ever. There have been times where he randomly folded his clothes and put them away, but his folding was nothing compared to how neat everything was in Tony's closet. For a moment the god wonders if he should ask JARVIS for help or instructions, but in the end decides against it. There is no way Loki, the God of Mischief and Lies, will ask a voice on the wall for help. His status was degrading enough, there was no need to demean himself lower than he already was.

Instead, Loki gets up and walks to one of the shelves. Taking a shirt he looks at it curiously, studying it from every angle and side before deciding to unfold it and see how this whole folding business is done. But before he can do that, the shirt falls open and hangs over his arm. Grumbling in frustration, the god throws the shirt over his shoulder onto the pile of clean laundry on the floor.

_Delightful, one extra shirt for me to fold now. This is preposterous; this whole punishment Odin came up with is ludicrous._

Sighing, Loki takes another shirt, this time making sure to hold it properly. But once again, as he tries to open it, it slips through his fingers and falls open in his arms. With an exasperated cry, the god flings the shirt onto the floor, already reaching for another one and another one, placing them on the floor in a neat pile. If he's ever to finish this tedious task, he better figure out how to fold these closes now.

After examining a dozen more shirts, Loki thinks he has a pretty good idea of what to do. Pulling a random shirt out of the pile, he places it in front of him and goes through the motions of folding it, which are now carved into his brain – possibly forever. Halfway through, however, the god realizes that this shirt is different from the ones he's been looking at for the past 15 minutes. Sparing a look at another shelf somewhere above him, he sees that there are indeed different styles and types of shirts in Tony's closet.

_They are all shirts; I do not see how it would be possible to fold each one differently._

A few hours later Loki finds himself surrounded by small piles of folded clothes…well folded being an overstatement. Little heaps of clothes surround the god on all sides, extending around him in a large circle. Hard as he tried, the folding process didn't go as well as he hoped it would have.

A shadow falls across the pile right in front of him and Loki looks up. Tony stands in the doorway, a smirk on his face as he surveys the mess around the god. Loki looks back with a blank face, his eyes slightly wider than usual, not knowing what kind of reaction to expect from Tony. Hopefully not anger at his failed attempt to complete the chore. At least there was an attempt, right?

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**A/N: What do you think of Loki? Isn't he just a ray of sunshine? Leave a review to let me know, or suggest ideas for future chapters/punishments/chores :)**

**Also, I apologize for the long wait. I'm busy with university applications, so the next updates might be a little slow. I'll try my best to keep updating as fast as I can, but no promises. **


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